February 9, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 9, 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Rachel Dellinger
KSO Director of Communications
Direct: 865-521-2317 Cell: 865-660-3037
[email protected]
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will continue its Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series with music of Strauss, Mozart, Higdon and Prokofiev conducted by Maestro Eckart Preu, KSO music director candidate, and guest pianist Alon Goldstein performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20.
The concert will take place on Thursday, Feb. 18, and Friday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre and is sponsored by Thermal Label Warehouse. Tickets start at just $15 and are available here.
Musical selections include Richard Strauss’ Don Juan Overture, Jennifer Higdon’s contemporary piece, Blue Cathedral, and selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet at the baton of Preu, the guest conductor. Goldstein will join the KSO for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20. Throughout KSO’s 2015-16 season six candidates will audition for the position of the music director. Each candidate will conduct a pair of Masterworks concerts, held monthly at the Tennessee Theatre. Read more about the KSO music director search here.
“If there is a program for showcasing the virtuosity of an orchestra, this is it,” Preu said. “The audience can expect virtuosity of speed and brilliance (Strauss), emotions of extremes (Prokofiev) and a wide palette of colors from chamber music to rousing tuttis (Higdon). Solos for virtually all instruments of the orchestra can be heard throughout the evening. Speaking of virtuosity, Alon Goldstein will bring his incredible virtuosity and sensitivity to Knoxville, interpreting one of the darkest concertos by Mozart; the program will leave the audience stirred and enriched.”
Preu is music director of the Spokane Symphony in Washington and the Stamford Symphony in Connecticut. He previously held the positions of associate conductor of the Richmond Symphony (2001-2004) and resident conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra (1997-2004) and the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra (1999-2004). Career highlights include performances at Carnegie Hall, the Sorbonne in Paris, a live broadcast with the Jerusalem Symphony and his first commercial recording of the world premiere of “Letters from Lincoln” — a work commissioned by the Spokane Symphony.
A native of Germany, Preu came to the United States as winner of the National Conducting Competition of the German Academic Exchange Service (1996) for graduate studies with Harold Farberman at the Hartt School of Music, where he also received the Karl Boehm Scholarship. In Germany he earned a master’s degree in conducting from the Hochschule für Musik in Weimar, studying under Gunter Kahlert and Nicolas Pasquet. He also studied under Jean-Sebastien Bereau at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in France.
Alon Goldstein, guest pianist.
Goldstein, an internationally known pianist, is admired for his musical intelligence, dynamic personality, artistic vision and innovative programming.
He has played with the Israel, London, Radio France and Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestras and is the winner of numerous competitions, among them the Arianne Katcz Piano Competition in Tel Aviv, Nena Wideman Competition in the United States and the Francois Shapira competition in Israel.
He is also the recipient of the 2004 Salon di Virtuosi Career Grant and the America Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarships.
Goldstein graduated from the Peabody Conservatory, where he studied with Leon Fleisher and served as his assistant.
Patrons can attend pre-concert chats at 6:30 p.m. in the concert hall before each performance. Guest performers will offer their personal perspective, and audience members will have a chance for Q&A with the artists. This is a unique get-to-know-you opportunity.
Tickets may be purchased by calling 865-291-3310 or visiting the KSO website. Single tickets range from $15 to $85. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets at a discounted rate by calling 865-521-2337.
About the KSO
Established in 1935, the KSO has contributed to the cultural life in East Tennessee continuously for 80 years, providing excellence in musical and educational programs. The Orchestra consists of 80 professional musicians and performs 250 programs throughout the region each season, reaching audiences of more than 200,000 people. The KSO performs in traditional venues such as the Tennessee Theatre, Bijou Theatre and the Civic Auditorium as well as non-traditional places like hospitals, schools, city parks and churches. The KSO is currently undergoing the search for a new Music Director, to be announced in 2016. For more information please visit www.knoxvillesymphony.com.
Maria Cornelius
